Ossian Collection > Fingal, an ancient epic poem

242 CALTHON and COLMAL,
fpe^r. .Liften, fon of the rock, to the talc of
qther years.
Rathmor was a chief of Clutha. The fee-
ble dwelt in his hall. The gates of Rathmor
were never clofed ; his feafi: was always fpread.
The fons of the flranger came, and blefled the
generous chief of Clutha. Bards raifed the fong,
and touched the harp : and joy brightened on the
face of the mournful. — Dunthalmo came, in his
pride, and rufhed into the combat of Rathmor.
The chief of Clutha overcame : the rage of Dun-
thalmo rofe He came, by night, with his
warriors ; and the mighty Rathmor fell. He fell
in his halls, where his feafl was often fpread for
ftrangers.— : —
CoLMAR andCalthon were young, the fons of
car-borne Rathmor. They came, in the joy of
youth, into their father's hall. They behold him
in his blood, and their burfting tears defcend. —
The foul of Dunthalmo melted, when he faw
the children of youth ; he brought them to Al-
teutha's % walls ; they grew in the houfe of their
foe.— They bent the bow in his prefence ; and
came forth to his battles,
X Al-teutha, or rather Balteutha, the ionjon of
7f^;eed, the name of Dunthalmo's feat. It is ob-
fervable that all the names in this poem, are derived
from the Gallic langu:^ge j which, as I have re-
marked in a preceding noce, is a proof that it was
once the univerfal language of the whole ifland.
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